Risers and Fallers: Skinner's Atonement

We’re getting deep enough into the campaign now where it becomes harder and harder for me to highlight new names every week. Forgive me as repetition will ultimately spill onto these “pages.” Nonetheless, I do my best not to revisit a well too often but it doesn’t help when many goalies are currently doing well!

I suggested this route last week right before Chris Drury actually handed down the letter to fans, but the New York Rangers will indeed be “tearing it down” for a rebuild on the fly. As a fan of the team, I’ve seen the writing on the wall for this moment going back to last season. In that this unit, as currently configured, just doesn’t have the juice. People will say “but there’s so much talent on that team!” And they’re right, to a degree, but said talent is for the most part on the wrong side of 30.

Simultaneously, Kakko and Lafreniere were insurmountable back-to-back draft whiffs that inevitably set them back years. Brennan Othmann only compounds this further. This is the uncontested worst organization across the entire NHL at drafting forwards in the first round. As I was only four years old when the Rangers last raised Lord Stanley, let the lifelong suffering continue.

Risers

Samuel Montembeault

If you’ve followed this column, you’re aware of the chronicling of Montembeault’s abysmal season to this point. Unlike last campaign, where he also started out poorly, but he’d go on to make a full rebound. Ending up as one of the more valuable goaltenders you could own in the weeks approaching fantasy playoffs.

Although he just put up another stinker, the four starts prior at least gave hope with three excellent showings. The bleu, blanc, rouge sent down Jacob Fowler, so it’s on Sam and Jakub Dobes to steer this ship to the postseason. Keep tabs to see if this most recent stumble is a return to porous ways or he bucks the trend with a quality start.

Connor Ingram

Although this is a three-headed beast in the Edmonton crease, the 28-year-old Ingram is making a case over Calvin Pickard for backup duty. Admirable service amidst Tristan Jarry’s injury absence saw seven quality starts across nine calls to the crease by the former Arizona Coyote.

Calvin Pickard has only three starts since Dec. 29th, which speaks to the current mindset of Oilers brass seeing Ingram as number two in the pecking order. This will be one to watch as Pickard would more than likely be claimed should they choose to waive him. Carrying three goalies can’t last forever though.

Stuart Skinner

More often than not, the move from a big time hockey market to a relatively low key one tends to benefit players looking to get back on track. A clear 50/50 split with Artur Silovs seems to be working wonders for the former lubricator, as he’s posted five straight quality starts for the black and yellow.

Pittsburgh has been a revelation this season and Kyle Dubas needs more acclaim for his shrewd reworking of this roster over time to give the core players another shot at the playoffs. Ride the wave while things are going well but my gut says this is a far better situation for Skinner being removed from relentless Canadian media.

Fallers

Darcy Kuemper

Los Angeles has certainly fallen off in ‘25-’26 compared to last season but they’re still in the hunt for a wild card spot. The former Washington Capital is not doing his part to keep them there however.

Since the calendar flipped to ‘26, he’s had only two quality starts in eight nods. That will just not cut it in the long run if the Kings want to be in the playoffs. Anton Forsberg will never steal the crease outright from him but things keep going the way they are, and L.A. will have no choice but to look his way more frequently.

Kevin Lankinen

No matter who’s between the pipes in British Colombia, they will struggle with the squad skating in front of them. After a storybook campaign in ‘24-’25 which secured him a five-year contract, Lankinen has not been able to rekindle the magic as de facto starter with Thatcher Demko once again on IR.

With only three quality starts collected in the past month, don’t expect some miraculous return to winning ways. This is a bottom-feeder team heading for lottery contention. Abandon all hope.

Jacob Markstrom

Markstrom is a prime example of name value in fantasy hockey. The soon to be 36-year-old has ping ponged between excellence and porousness over the past month, leaving fantasy managers rolling the dice each time they choose to deploy.

The reality is, outside of ‘21-’22 with Calgary, he’s not been a world beater. He’s been good for save percentage sure, but he doesn’t collect wins at a high clip while his GAA is almost assured to be above 2.60. Looking at his total ‘25-’26 season stat line, he’s just not carrying the weight his draft price necessitates.

Other Thoughts

Add Kent Johnson right now.

Claude Giroux has turned back the clock in the past month.

Mikael Backlund a top-100 player the past month if you count FOW.

Lawson Crouse provides excellent banger league value.

Ethen Frank has five goals in the past six games.

Viktor Arvidsson has been producing for the past month in Beantown.

Michael McCarron is still a poorly under-utilized banger asset on many a wire.

Kirby Dach has returned for Montreal; give him a look before he gets hurt again.

Anthony Duclair has seven goals in the past seven games.

Ryan Hartman is L1/PP1 in the state of hockey.

Buffalo fleeced Edmonton in the Ryan McLeod/Matt Savoie swap.